After testing dozens of natural body washes during the last decade, I’m sharing the best ones worth getting. The best natural body wash is made with nourishing plant ingredients and free of harmful toxins, harsh surfactants, detergents, sulfates and preservatives.

Ingredients to Avoid in Body Wash

• Sulfates (SLS/SLES): harsh foaming agents that can strip natural oils and irritate sensitive skinParabens: preservatives linked to hormone disruption
• Synthetic fragrance/parfum: an umbrella term that can hide dozens of undisclosed chemicals, common irritant and allergen trigger
• Phthalates: often hidden inside “fragrance,” linked to hormone disruption
• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (like DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15): release small amounts of formaldehyde over time, a known irritant and carcinogen
• Triclosan: an antibacterial agent linked to hormone disruption and antibiotic resistance
• PEG compounds: can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a byproduct linked to cancer
• Propylene glycol: a petroleum-derived skin conditioner that can irritate sensitive skin
• Synthetic dyes (FD&C colors): artificial colorants linked to skin irritation and potential contamination with heavy metals
• BHT/BHA: synthetic preservatives flagged as potential hormone disruptors and irritants
• Cocamide DEA: a foam booster that can react with other ingredients to form nitrosamines, a possible carcinogen
• Mineral oil and petroleum-derived ingredients: petroleum byproducts that can clog pores and may contain contaminants if not highly refined

I tried Cocokind Milky Soft Body Cleanser

Cocokind’s cleanser is good enough for your face and body and has the most unique gel-milk hybrid consistency. It has five surfactants for a really deep cleanse but also has a milky softness that nourishes skin. I love that it also has Saccharides, ceramides and glycerin! It’s SO convenient to use as both a face cleanser and body wash when I’m in the shower and want to knock out both tasks. There’s no scent to it other than from its ingredients and there’s something really soothing about that. Cocokind also wins for best body wash pump. It’s similar to Naturium’s and feels sturdy and generously sized, so no hand slipping or accidents in shower.

Price: $18 for 13.5 oz

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I tried 100% Pure Vanilla Bean Body Wash

100% Pure’s shower gel is an OG and their vanilla bean shower gel is my favorite vanilla body wash of all time. For my vanilla lovers and clean beauty fans, this will have you smelling like a delectable vanilla bean. It has super clean ingredients like Vegetable Glycerin, Rose Hydrosol, Vitamin E, Organic Green Tea Leaf, Chamomile Flower, Chrysanthemum Flower, Organic Calendula Flower, Organic Lavender Flower, Sodium PCA, and smells like a dessert. It’s also got a nice creaminess to it that moisturizes skin while cleansing. I also love their coconut scent for summer. Their body wash now comes in a jumbo 16 oz size for $25 which makes it amazing value for money compared to their 8 oz.

100% Pure is an amazing clean beauty one-stop shop for body wash, lotion, skincare and makeup – so convenient!

What I love:

• So creamy and feels moisturizing
• Has the best yummy vanilla bean scent

Price: $20 for 8 oz | $25 for 16 oz

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I tried Flamingo Estate Body Wash

Flamingo Estate makes one of the most standout natural body washes in luxury clean beauty (in my personal opinion). It has 6 times the regular amount of essential oils and a luxurious thick texture that feels amazing on dry skin. The purest Rosemary, Sage, Lavender, and Eucalyptus hand harvested by people they trust gives this clean body wash the most exquisite heavenly, natural scent. It truly feels like you’ve been transported to an herb garden and are smelling the actual herbs! This plus applying a clean body oil straight outta the shower and my ashy skin is banished.

What I love:

• Amazing scent power and absolutely loaded with essential oils
• Large 16 oz bottle of eco friendly aluminum

Price: $50 for 12 oz

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I tried Aleavia Body Wash

Aleavia’s natural body wash is my top pick if you have sensitive skin and you need a body wash that has no fluff. This has a 100% natural and prebiotic formula that’s pH balancing, microbiome supportive and made of just 10 simple. Their OG Enzymatic Body Cleanse has got organic Acadian sea kelp, extra-virgin coconut oil, and aloe vera to target eczema, psoriasis, and keratosis. It’s a hydrating gel that feels amazing on the skin, offers a gentle lather and leaves skin feeling actually nourished. The Lavender smells so calming and has pure lavender essential oi, while Orchid Body Cleanse smells floral and has orchid essential oil. Aleavia offers THE most value among all nontoxic body wash brands I’ve tried. Five years later it STILL costs less than $20 for double the amount you get compared to other brands.

What I love:

• Large 16 oz size lasts a long time
• There’s just 10 simple ingredients that are pH balancing

Price: $19.99 for 16 oz

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I tried OSEA Undaria Algae Body Wash

I recently had the pleasure of trying out the new Osea undaria algae body wash and it did not disappoint. It feels like a light, juicy hydrating gel and has OSEA’s signature uplifting sweet citrus scent that I love so much. The formula is pH balanced and contains Undaria Algae which is rich in amino acids, antioxidants and nutrients. I do not get a lot of suds action, since it uses a gentle plant-based surfactant blend to effectively cleanse skin. This leaves my skin feeling moisturized thanks to glycerin, jojoba oil, coconut oil and avocado oil. My main gripe is that the bottle is smaller than your typical non toxic body wash and runs out very quickly. The price is quite steep for the amount of product you get.

Price: $32 for 8 oz

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 I tried Necessaire Body Wash

I’m obsessed with Necessaire’s eucalyptus body wash – it turns your whole shower experience into a spa experience. The eucalyptus smells absolutely heavenly, and they even have an unscented option if you prefer no scent. The thick gel feels moisturizing and hydrating, lathers decently and cleanses well.

It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and made without SLS, SLES, silicones, phthalates, parabens, or PEGs, and also dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic. Instead it’s made with plant-based surfactants, and a thoughtful blend of skincare actives like glycerin, niacinamide, vitamins C and E, and nourishing plant oils.

What I love:

• Natural eucalyptus scent turns my shower into a spa

Price: $28 for 8.4 oz

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I tried Alaffia Body Wash (budget!)

Alaffia’s Authentic African Black Soap is a do-it-all body wash that’s also a shampoo, face wash and shaving wash in one. It’s vegan, cruelty free, fair trade, sulfate free and gentle enough for everyday use, everywhere. It’s fantastic value for money and comes in a very generously sized bottle that lasts longer than most other non-toxic body wash products. This gel has a creamy facet to it that makes it feel very moisturizing. Plus, they’re made with only plant based & fair trade ingredients! The formula is based on traditional recipes from Togolese mamans, using fair-trade shea butter and Orangutan-safe West African palm oil along with tea tree and eucalyptus oils.

What I love:

• Moisturizing gel consistency feels so hydrating
• Very budget friendly

Price: $17.49 for 32oz

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Best Acne Body Wash: Necessaire The Body Acne Wash

I’ve tried both Naturisum and Necessaire, the two brands who do targeted body care really well and I prefer Necessaire’s. Their Body Acne Wash is the strongest medicated body wash for acne that is cleaner than other body acne wash products. It not only treats but also prevents acne with 2% Salicylic Acid, 10% Glycerin, Zinc PCA to regulate sebum and Niacinamide to help fade blemishes. This is a nice hydrating gel that deeply cleanses and leaves skin feeling squeaky clean yet not striped at all.

July 14, 2026 Update: My original top pick here was Necessaire’s Body Acne Wash — but as of this update, it’s not appearing on their site so, in the meantime, my current pick is Naturium’s The Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash ($17 for 16.9 oz), which uses encapsulated, gradual-releasing salicylic acid to decongest pores without the dryness you get from harsher acne washes.

Clean Body Wash FAQ

Is natural body wash actually better for your skin than regular body wash? For most people, yes — mainly because natural formulas tend to skip the harsh sulfates, synthetic fragrance, and preservatives that are most likely to trigger irritation, dryness, or breakouts. “Natural” alone isn’t a guarantee of anything, though, which is why checking the actual ingredient list still matters more than the label.

What ingredients should I avoid when shopping for a non-toxic body wash? At minimum, watch for sulfates (SLS/SLES), parabens, synthetic fragrance, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. The full list I check for is above.

What’s the best natural body wash for sensitive skin? Aleavia’s Enzymatic Body Cleanse is my top recommendation — it’s a 10-ingredient, prebiotic formula that’s held up well for readers dealing with eczema and psoriasis-prone skin.

Can a natural body wash actually treat body acne? Yes, if it’s formulated with an active like salicylic acid or an AHA/enzyme blend at an effective concentration — a “natural” label doesn’t mean it lacks active ingredients. Naturium’s Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash is my current pick for this.